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House 001
6:59:21 PM Leni: We begin our story in a bar, because it's although it's practically a cliché that this is where everything starts, this particular bar is where Rook has been living for several weeks, after a disastrous attempt to upgrade his (to him) fairly ordinary life by going on an adventure. As he is not a hobbit, the seventh son of a seventh son or the youngest of three miller's children, the endeavor didn't go well. On the bright side, he a. managed to escape with his life, and b. brought two bodies back and one of the families is saving up for a resurrection spell. It could have been a lot worse. 7:04:24 PM Leni: Even so, the misadventurous adventure has left him stranded in (to him) a strange city, in a strange nation, on a strange plane--one where he has neither friends nor family, and not much in the way of resources, which have been steadily dwindling as the weeks have passed. He's going to have to do something about that fairly soon, but that's easier said than done: He's stuck in St. Benedict, the capital city of Meneluinin, just after Wintermas but still during the holiday season, an interstitial time before the New Year has begun. It's very cold, and quite a few of the lower-level mages in town have been enlisted (as usual) to move snow out of the city streets in an effort to keep commerce going. Other than that, however, St. Benedict has largely remained shut down, and the local guards are encouraging people to stay home unless they absolutely must go out. 7:10:21 PM Leni: Rook is at a standstill, then, but so is nearly everything around him. He's taken up residence--temporarily, most likely--at the Absent Lyre, a fairly shabby pub with a history of being frequented by adventurers. It's fairly empty just now for the holiday season, though--almost everyone who can, has gone home for the holiday, and those who can't aren't very cheerful about it. There's an exception in the form of a large family of gnomes taking up most of the upper floor, who came from the east to visit Meneluininese family. It's hard to tell how big the family is, as a lot of them look quite alike, but there's at least two sets of patriarchs and about 8 families who are their descendents, and there are a lot of little gnomish children running around, in varying degrees of age, behavior and stickiness. 7:11:49 PM Leni: Occasionally there's some shouting from a parent or aunt or uncle as one of them gets into trouble, but as they've rented the entire top floor, the owners of the Lyre are pretty much allowing them the run of the place, especially since almost no one else is there. Except Rook, of course. 7:15:28 PM *** Rook is currently sitting at a table. Slumped over the table might be more accurate, as he is sitting, forehead against the rough table surface. He wears someone ratty, shapeless blue robes and a long, thick cloak. His hood is up, currently, and if someone could see his face, they would see that he currently takes the form of a feline Shifter, with dark fur and orange stripes. *** 7:21:53 PM Leni: A little gnomish child, pale and with its hair sticking straight up, comes up to him cautiously, and points at him. "Ba." 7:22:26 PM Leni: He (or she?) seems to be one of the stickier in the brood--his (or her) little nose is running. 7:22:56 PM *** Rook lifts his head so his face is just peeking out of his hood. "Go away, little berk, with your diseases and fluids." *** 7:23:38 PM Leni: The little child's eyes light up, and it makes a kind of delighted hissing noise. "Kkk!" 7:25:56 PM Rook: Noooooooooooooooooooooo. Do not click at me. Fur is warm, that is all. 7:26:31 PM Leni: It puts a hand out and runs at Rook! "Kkk!" 7:27:55 PM *** Rook yells. "Who's youngling is this! Don't let it touch me!" Rook shrinks back and instintively shifts into the form of an armored warforged. *** 7:28:29 PM Leni: The baby stops, or tries to, and accidentally runs into Rook. 7:28:52 PM Leni: It bonks its head on his knee and starts to cry. 7:30:46 PM Rook: Rook shrieks in alarm and covers his ears, singing a loud sea shanty about a planeskip captain and all the many men he bedded in various dimensional ports. 7:31:33 PM Leni: One of the gnomish ladies comes over and scoops up the baby, glaring at Rook; the baby pretty promptly forgets what it was upset about, points at him, and declares "Ba!" 7:31:46 PM Leni: The lady hustles away indignantly! 7:33:54 PM *** Rook stops singing. *** 7:35:12 PM Leni: Joshi turns up, looking rather put-upon. She's the day manager of the inn, a tall, stocky elven woman of middle age with her head swathed in scarves, golden hair sticking out in wisps. "Now what?" 7:36:46 PM *** Rook becomes the Shifter again. "The youngling screamed at me. It was dripping with juices. I thought its illnesses might have been expressed via mnemonic virus." *** 7:37:50 PM Leni: Joshi: ... it's a baby. 7:38:05 PM Leni: Joshi: It has a cold. 7:38:15 PM Rook: IS it? Or is it a walking petri dish? 7:38:22 PM Leni: Joshi: Everybody's got a cold. 7:38:34 PM Leni: Joshi: It's winter. 7:39:01 PM Rook: Seasons are weird. 7:39:11 PM *** Rook shoves a stale piece of bread in his mouth. *** 7:40:02 PM Leni: Joshi: You're weird! Don't they have seasons wherever it is you're from? 7:41:50 PM Rook: Of course not. Sigil doesn't let nature push it around. 7:43:03 PM Leni: Joshi: It sounds boring! Anyway, leave the babies alone, can't you? That family is the only thing keeping us afloat for the holidays. 7:43:20 PM Leni: She turns to stop away irritably, but then faces Rook again. "Oh, and go and talk to my wife, she's in the kitchen." 7:43:29 PM Leni: Then she does stomp away. 7:44:12 PM *** Rook whiiiiines. "Fiiiiiiiiine. What does she want? Oh, you're gone." *** 7:44:25 PM *** Rook shoves another piece of bread in his mouth and goes to the kitchen. *** 7:47:41 PM Leni: Joshi's wife, Orissa, does most of the cooking for the inn. She's a tallish human woman with dark brown skin and braided hair, and she's currently kneading dough, long braids tucked into the back of her dress. "Oh, there you are! How are you getting along?" Orissa's much friendlier than Joshi, and has busily been feeding sweets to the Gnomish children every time their parents' backs are turned. 7:49:33 PM Rook: One of the little ones just tried to infect me with an illness. I used a counterfrequency to retaliate. Your mate didn't seem to like it. 7:50:39 PM Leni: Orissa: Oh, aren't they adorable? I love children, don't you? 7:52:49 PM Rook: No. 7:53:17 PM Leni: Orissa: No? Well, you'll come around when you get a bit older, I'm sure. 7:54:07 PM Leni: Orissa: Now, if I'm being a bit too nosy, just say so, but you've been here for quite some time and done a bit of nothing--are you in need of a job? 7:54:56 PM Rook: Yes. Fairly desperately so. But there's not a lot of work to be had, it seems. 7:55:15 PM Rook: You have been very kind with the day-old bread, mind you, I do appreciate that. 7:56:05 PM Leni: Orissa: I think we can do a bit better than that. If you're willing to do us a bit of a favor, we'll give you a week on the house. 7:57:17 PM Rook: What do you need? 7:58:19 PM Leni: Orissa: Well, we have a little problem in the basement. If you can clear it out you can stay here for a week and have proper food. Not the day-old stuff. 7:59:23 PM Rook: What kind of problem. Bees? Rats? Beerats? 8:00:16 PM Leni: Orissa: Well, we had mice. 8:01:14 PM Rook: Had? 8:01:56 PM Leni: Orissa: Well, yes. Now we have cats. A lot of cats. Joshi thought we could get rid of the mice by bringing in some barn cats to hunt them, and they did--only now of course we've got cats. 8:15:02 PM Rook: What do you want me to do? I can't kill them, I can't tell you how many kinds of bad luck that'll get me. 8:41:19 PM Leni: Orissa: Bless me, I don't want you to kill them. If I thought you were going to kill them I wouldn't have you in this inn, let alone let you down into the basement with them. 8:41:59 PM Leni: Orissa: No, it's just that I'm terribly allergic to the dear little things, and Joshi hates cats, so I was hoping you could round them up and put them in the cage for their trip home. 8:42:26 PM Rook: Oh. okay, I can probably handle that. 8:43:23 PM Leni: Orissa: Wonderful! The cage is already down there. Try not to hurt any of them, all right? 8:46:13 PM Rook: Of course not. Like I said, it's so many kinds of bad luck I might just explode. 8:46:33 PM *** Rook makes his way bravely toward the basement. *** 8:46:54 PM Leni: Orissa: ... don't do that either, please, that's where we keep the beer. 8:47:14 PM Leni: There's a door that leads to the basement! It is marked "Do not open!" 8:50:14 PM *** Rook opens it. *** 8:51:40 PM Leni: It's dark down there! There are rickety steps. 8:51:59 PM Leni: On the bright side, you have not been eaten by a Grue. 8:52:26 PM *** Rook looks for some kind of light. *** 8:52:42 PM Leni: None at the top of the steps! 8:53:58 PM Leni: You hear things moving around downstairs. 8:59:00 PM Rook: ((I forget, do Changelings have darkvision?)) 8:59:13 PM Leni: ((I do not believe so!)) 9:00:39 PM Rook: Hrm. 9:00:45 PM *** Rook walks down the steps. *** 9:01:13 PM Leni: There are about fifteen steps; by the time he gets to the bottom it's basically pitch-black. 9:03:17 PM Rook: Okay. Cats. Come here. 9:03:24 PM Rook: Please? 9:03:41 PM Leni: Something rubs up against his ankle! 9:03:44 PM Leni: Then another something! 9:05:03 PM Leni: He hears a mewing! 9:06:49 PM Rook: Yes, yes. Hello. 9:06:55 PM *** Rook reaches down, carefully. *** 9:07:31 PM Leni: THERE'S A FURRY THING THERE. 9:07:35 PM Leni: It's super dark! 9:08:05 PM *** Rook tries to pick it up. *** 9:08:41 PM Leni: Roll grapple! 9:09:06 PM Rook: ((7!)) 9:09:34 PM Leni: The cat squirms away with a snarl! 9:09:45 PM Leni: If it's a cat. I mean, it could be a rabid weasel. 9:12:38 PM Leni: A couple more things brush his ankles! 9:13:43 PM *** Rook looks around for a lantern or torch? *** 9:14:42 PM Leni: Well, you wouldn't be able to see that given that it's pitch-black down here. 9:15:12 PM *** Rook harruphs, and goes back upstairs. *** 9:15:35 PM Leni: Orissa: Done already? 9:15:40 PM Leni: She looks very impressed. 9:15:57 PM Rook: It's dark. I need a lantern, or something? 9:16:08 PM Leni: Orissa: Oh! Here, take this. 9:16:32 PM Leni: She hands him a big metal ladle which seems to be glowing for some reason. 9:23:01 PM Rook: Oh, thank you. This is a very useful spoon. 9:24:03 PM Leni: Orissa: You can keep it, I've got a few of them. For some reason people keep giving them to me for Wintermas. 9:26:14 PM Rook: Glowing spoons? Huh. Well, thank you. You are a very nice lady. Back to the cats! 9:26:33 PM Leni: Orissa: Good luck! 9:26:45 PM *** Rook bravely returns to the basement. *** 9:28:10 PM Leni: Virtually every surface is covered with a cat! Several are looking at him. 9:28:32 PM Leni: But there are big cats, little cats, black cats, white cats, fuzzy cats, bald cats, ugly cats, cute cats. 9:28:43 PM Rook: ...hello, cats. 9:29:25 PM Leni: Cat: Mew? 9:29:41 PM *** Rook looks for the cage. *** 9:29:54 PM Leni: It's an enormous cage, with an opening on the top. 9:30:07 PM Leni: He was only about a foot from it in the dark, he realizes. 9:30:46 PM *** Rook looks in there. *** 9:33:41 PM Leni: Oh, it's a cage, you can see straight through it. It's got narrowly spaced bars. 9:33:45 PM Leni: No kitties in there at all! 9:35:20 PM *** Rook thinks. *** 9:35:40 PM Leni: One of the kittens has fallen asleep on his foot. 9:35:44 PM *** Rook uses presti make a delcious smell coming from the cage. *** 9:36:08 PM Rook: ((I took the feat that gives him like, presti and mage hand and one other.)) 9:36:14 PM Leni: This immediately gets the attention of several of the cats, who get up and saunter toward the cage, sniffing. 9:37:36 PM Leni: Then a few more wander over, and one of the bigger cats tries to fit his head in between the bars. It doesn't work. 9:38:22 PM Leni: The cage is slightly too large for them to jump on top of easily, but one of them figures out that you can hop onto the top of it from a nearby beer barrel, and does so, sticking its head into the cage curiously. 9:41:37 PM Leni: Rook could push it gently into the cage. 9:42:06 PM *** Rook makes a promise to Bast that he will get them real food once they're in the cage. But he just lets them poke around it, no shoving yet. *** 9:42:28 PM Leni: Another two cats find the beer barrel cheat and hop onto the top of the cage. 9:43:02 PM Leni: Pretty soon about half of them are nosing around the cage, some trying to bat it and others just sniffing to sort out where the food is. 9:47:13 PM Leni: Judging by the cacophony of mews, the kitties are STARVING to DEATH. Even though they look rather sleek and well-fed. 9:53:00 PM *** Rook tries starting to put them in the cage. *** 9:53:54 PM Leni: It's not too difficult--the ones at the top of the cage especially seem to really want to be in there, and pretty soon he has about two thirds of the cats in the cage. 9:54:04 PM Leni: There are still about 10 kitties left. 9:54:34 PM Leni: These are the ones who are just not interested in the food smell--some of them are roaming around on the floor and a few are lying down on top of the top shelf of beer barrels. 9:59:12 PM *** Rook starts trying to grab those. *** 10:03:12 PM Leni: He nabs three pretty easily, which leaves seven--a few on top the barrels and a few on the ground that just won't get close enough to grab. They are super skittish. 10:07:21 PM *** Rook sits down on the floor, then. *** 10:08:03 PM Leni: This works for two of the cats, who eventually decide he's probably okay and come for pettings. 10:08:27 PM Leni: Five left! Four on the top of the barrels looking insolent and one on the ground. 10:12:18 PM *** Rook eyes on the one on the ground. *** 10:12:58 PM Leni: It seems frightened of him! Roll Perception. 10:13:35 PM Rook: ((16! That's at a -1, btw.)) 10:14:35 PM Leni: He notices it's limping and seems to have quite a few scars; it's possible the cat may have been abused. 10:18:31 PM Rook: .... that's bad luck, abusing a cat. 10:18:35 PM *** Rook focuses on the others. *** 10:20:54 PM Leni: The others are just lying around on top of the upper level of beer barrels. Most of them look asleep; one just looks insolent. 10:21:26 PM *** Rook grabs at the sleeping ones first. *** 10:22:55 PM Leni: How? They're about 12 feet up. 10:23:14 PM *** Rook looks for a stepladder. *** 10:23:31 PM Leni: Roll Perception! 10:23:47 PM Rook: ((10)) 10:26:52 PM Leni: He hears something growling in one of the dark corners of the room, and it is definitely too big to be a cat. 10:28:26 PM Rook: .... who are you? 10:31:47 PM Leni: There's no answer, but the growling gets louder! 10:31:49 PM Rook: Growling is very rude. 10:31:55 PM *** Rook growls back. *** 10:33:06 PM Leni: Still no answer, but the growling gets louder! 10:33:55 PM *** Rook steps in the direction of the growling, glancing at the cats to think what they think of this situation. *** 10:37:52 PM Leni: The cats aren't impressed. A few of them are watching Rook, though. 10:38:14 PM Leni: As he gets closer to the noise, the light illuminates the corner, and the hideous monster within! 10:38:52 PM Leni: ... it's a very fat, incredibly fluffy grey cat with its paws around a little bullhorn, growling into it to amplify its voice. 10:39:28 PM Rook: ... really. I mean, that's a pretty good trick, but REALLY. 10:40:52 PM | Edited 10:41:07 PM Leni: The kitty sees it has been discovered and drops the bullhorn, dissolving into something somewhere between giggles and mews, leaning back on its wings to avoid falling over. 10:44:11 PM Rook: So are you the ringleader? 10:46:14 PM Leni: It stops laughing and wanders over to him and rubs by his ankles. 10:46:24 PM Leni: Tressym: Mew. 10:46:47 PM Rook: Can you get the rest of them back in the cage? 10:47:29 PM Leni: Tressym: Mew? 10:47:56 PM Leni: It puts its paws on Rook's shins and streeeeetches, claws just barely clinging to his pants. Or robes, if he's in robes, I forget. 10:48:27 PM Rook: ((He probably has layers. So robes on top, and pants under.)) 10:52:56 PM Leni: Tressym: Mewwwwww? 10:53:55 PM Rook: Okay, here's the deal. If you can help me get the rest of these guys in the cage, I'll split my free week of room and food with you. 10:58:11 PM Leni: The Tressym kneads his knees, mewing piteously. 11:02:50 PM Rook: Help first, food later. And I know you understand me. I had a tressym friend back in sigil. She was a cleric of Bast. 11:03:34 PM Leni: The cat makes a disgusted "whuff' noise and sits down in front of Rook. All the other cats make their way into the cage, looking like they meant to do that all along. 11:06:39 PM Leni: Then the tressym kneads Rook's knees again. 11:10:34 PM *** Rook makes sure all the cats are in the cage, then I close it. *** 11:11:16 PM Leni: The tressym gets in the way the whole time but not in a serious way, just as a nuisance. 11:18:21 PM *** Rook takes the cage up the stairs! Triumphant! *** 11:20:37 PM Leni: Well, he can't do that, it's too big, really. In fact, he suspects it was probably magicked down there, as it doesn't look like it could possibly get up the steps. 11:21:13 PM Leni: The tressym finally gives up and flies at him, alighting on his shoulders. It takes both shoulders--it's a very large cat. 11:21:24 PM Rook: Hrm. Well, they probably have a way to deal with that. 11:21:35 PM Rook: Okay, well they're in the cage. 11:21:47 PM *** Rook goes up the stairs, sans cage then. *** 11:22:31 PM Leni: The cat purrs like a little fuzzy engine as he does. 11:22:40 PM Leni: And we'll stop there, Rook triumphant in his first adventure! 5:51:07 PM Leni: After corralling more than two dozen cats, Rook has headed upstairs into the kitchen, where Orissa seems delighted to hear about it. She gives him a big tray of supper (roast beef with carrots and potatoes and gravy and fresh bread, plus several cookies for dessert) and says someone will be along to magick the cage back to where the cats belong. 5:51:36 PM Leni: Orissa: ... except that big one you have. I'm pretty sure that one wasn't in the cage when it came in; where did you find it? 5:54:06 PM Rook: It was hanging around down in the basement. Possibly agitating. Still, it help me got the stragglers back in the cage. 5:54:41 PM *** Rook cuts some roast beef for his new Tressym friend(?). *** 5:54:56 PM Rook: Thank you. This is maybe more food I've seen at once in quite awhile. 5:55:27 PM Leni: The cat seems very interested in the beef. 5:55:43 PM Leni: Orissa: It helped? ... are you sure, cats normally don't work like that. 5:55:57 PM Rook: Well, it's a tressym. They're pretty smart. 5:55:59 PM Leni: The tressym tries to look innocent. Being a cat, this fails. 5:56:12 PM *** Rook passes the beef over. *** 5:56:14 PM Leni: Orissa: Do they do tricks like dogs, then? 5:56:37 PM Rook: No, they fly and can occasionally do magic. 5:56:41 PM Leni: The cat noms up the meat in a regal manner. 5:58:02 PM Leni: Orissa: Oh. They're magic cats. ... well, at least the mice are gone. And the cats will go home to the grain bins where they belong without giving me headaches or Joshi conniptions, so thank you. 6:00:48 PM Rook: You are very welcome. Most of them seemed pretty bored down there. 6:02:08 PM Leni: Orissa: I suppose they were, once they'd got rid of all the mice. 6:02:11 PM Leni: Tressym: Mew. 6:02:46 PM Leni: Orissa: ... magic cats don't cause allergies, apparently. That's convenient. 6:04:08 PM *** Rook looks at the tressym. "Well, I suppose you'll be needing a name, unless you want give me some idea of what yours is. *** 6:04:18 PM Leni: Tressym: Mew? 6:06:40 PM Leni: Orissa: Fluffy? 6:07:51 PM *** Rook eyes the cat. *** 6:08:04 PM Leni: The tressym doesn't even deign to answer that one. 6:09:49 PM Rook: ((What color is he again?)) 6:12:03 PM Leni: Grey! 6:12:07 PM Leni: And very fluffy. 6:12:28 PM Rook: Murky. 6:12:51 PM Leni: The cat finishes its monster chunk of beef and bonks Rook's hand with its head. 6:13:26 PM Leni: It makes a rumbly sound, which is either a purr or a growl, tough to say. It's less intimidating without the amplifier, so there's that. 6:14:22 PM *** Rook scritches the cat. "So Murky it is, then." *** 6:15:12 PM Leni: It's definitely a purr! The purring intensifies and Orissa smiles, then heads off to do something in the oven, leaving Rook alone in the front part of the kitchen. 6:15:23 PM Leni: Well, with Murky, anyway. 6:16:33 PM Rook: Well then. A deals a deal. We got free room and board and food for a week. 6:19:53 PM | Edited 6:20:18 PM Leni: Murky rumbles a bit and then lies down on Rook's hand. 6:21:43 PM Leni: Orissa returns and tries to shoo you both out of the kitchen into the common room again. 6:22:12 PM *** Rook moves back out there, withdrawing his hand from the cat, hopefully. *** 6:23:22 PM Leni: The cat complains but uses the moment to jump back onto Rook's shoulders. 6:24:06 PM Leni: Rook finds another place to sit! Where does he go? Near the fire? Dark corner? Near the (gods forbid) children? 6:24:14 PM Rook: Near the fire. 6:24:40 PM Rook: ((Unless there's children there. Then he goes to the dark corner.)) 6:24:43 PM Leni: It's warm there! And the cat jumps back down onto the table and lies down, covering a good third of the available space. 6:34:54 PM *** Rook is used to being cramped so this doesn't bother him. He just settles in by the fire and eats his veggies. *** 6:37:34 PM Leni: A young man comes up to him, or a boy--it's really hard to tell with gnomes--and says "Hey, giant, someone wants to talk to you." 6:41:26 PM *** Rook fixes him with a suspicious gaze. "Who?" *** 6:42:48 PM Leni: Gnome: That guy, right there. 6:42:58 PM Leni: He points to the dark corner of the bar! Well there's always one. 6:51:40 PM *** Rook narrows his eyes in that direction. *** 6:52:03 PM Leni: There's someone humansized sitting in a chair over there. 6:52:08 PM Rook: Then he goes back to his food. "You can tell Mr. Mystery Shadow Man that if he wants to talk, he should come over here." 6:52:21 PM Leni: Gnome: He says there's a job in it. 6:52:53 PM Rook: Okay. Thanks. 6:54:26 PM Leni: The tressym opens one eye and looks at the gnome. 6:54:31 PM Leni: Tressym: Mew? 6:54:35 PM Leni: Gnome: Yes, you too. 6:56:59 PM Leni: The cat look at Rook. "Mew?" 6:57:23 PM Rook: We'll go ever there when I'm done eating. 6:58:06 PM Leni: The cat puts its head back down and apparently goes back to sleep. The gnome rolls his eyes and wanders away, jingling some change in his pocket. 7:03:11 PM *** Rook looks toward the corner and finishes his meal at his own pace! When he's done, he saunters over. *** 7:03:42 PM Leni: The (extremely heavy) cat hops onto his shoulders. 7:05:03 PM Leni: It's not a human there, but an elvish man with longish dark hair clasped back. He's wearing a shabby black suit of good quality that's seen better days, and appears to be rather amused, though it's hard to tell. It is dark in this corner. 7:06:12 PM Rook: So, you wanted to see me? 7:07:19 PM Leni: Man: Yes. You did quite well with the cats, the pair of you--not a hair harmed among them. 7:08:21 PM Rook: Do you have some other cat related business to take care of? I dont' want to get typecast. 7:13:20 PM Leni: Man: Not in the least. Tell me, where are you from? 7:15:35 PM Rook: Sigil. 7:17:41 PM Leni: Man: City of Doors, is it? Ruled by the lady with all the knives. 7:19:09 PM Rook: That's the one, cutter. Who're you? 7:21:20 PM Leni: Man: Your employer, perhaps. If you need a job. 7:21:59 PM Rook: I might. The going rate for simple Plane Shift is insane in this reality. 7:23:50 PM Leni: Man: It does seem rather high. It's rather a difficult job, and it requires someone with rather particular skills. 7:26:11 PM Rook: I have a unique set of skills. Not the good kind of unique, either. 7:26:47 PM Leni: Man: Goodness, I find, is rather situational in nature. 7:27:35 PM Rook: Well, if you need help embalming a corpse, wrangling cats, or knitting, I might just be your entity. 7:30:24 PM Leni: Man: It could be any of those things. That's the difficulty. We need someone who can defend himself, but also someone who has an... unusual idea of what, precisely, may constitute a threat. 7:31:08 PM Rook: What do you mean by that? 7:33:10 PM Leni: Man: I mean we definitely do not want someone who'll shoot first and ask questions later, but at the same time, we want someone who, if a fully baked turkey with all the fixings appears on a platter on the ground, will think twice before sitting down to dinner. 7:33:53 PM Leni: Man: Someone cautious, but curious, who is somewhat accustomed to working with different rulesets. 7:40:11 PM Rook: Wait, you don't have magical floor turkeys here? 7:41:03 PM Leni: Man: Not typically. 7:42:05 PM Rook: All right, what's the job? 7:45:18 PM Leni: Man: Housekeeping. 7:45:52 PM Rook: What kind of house, then? One where floor turkeys are dangerous. 7:47:38 PM Leni: Man: Generally on this plane one doesn't eat food from the floor. Humanoids, anyway. 7:48:24 PM Leni: Man: But yes, it's a house of many doors. Doors that lead, in some cases, elsewhere. Or nowhere. 7:49:22 PM Rook: So it's normal, is what you're saying. Normal for me. Not for you. 7:51:33 PM Leni: He pauses. "That is one way to think of it, yes. Though I can't really speak to my own personal gauge for normalcy, as I suspect it's nearly as unusual as yours." 7:55:24 PM Rook: So, I need more details. Especially in the 'payment' department. 7:56:41 PM Leni: Man: For that, you will have to negotiate with the house's current owner. We can do that now, if you like. 7:57:08 PM Rook: It's not you? Who are you, then? 7:58:36 PM Leni: Man: I'm a friend of hers. 8:01:54 PM Leni: (Feel free to sense motive, by the way.) 8:05:16 PM Rook: ((That would be a 4. Wisdom is not his strong suit!)) 8:05:33 PM Leni: You have no idea if he's a friend or not. 8:05:42 PM Rook: You seem super shady. 8:05:54 PM Leni: Man: I do, don't I. 8:06:24 PM Rook: Sitting here in the darkest corner doesn't help. 8:06:41 PM Leni: Man: They do train us to do that at the Academy. 8:16:38 PM Rook: Alright, then. Who am I talking to? 8:18:13 PM Leni: Man: Faustina d'Amici. 8:18:38 PM Rook: .... okay, that was my fault. I meant, where am I going to talk to this person. 8:19:43 PM Leni: Man: I believe she has a house here in town where she conducts family business. She can usually be found there at this time of the evening; I can bring you there if you like. 8:21:27 PM Rook: Well, I'm done eating. Now seems a decent time to do it. 8:22:07 PM Leni: Man: You can call me Vittorio, by the way. 8:22:20 PM Leni: He stands up and nods politely to Rook. 8:22:56 PM Rook: I knew if I kept asking you'd eventually give me a name. All right, let's go. 8:23:03 PM Rook: I'm Rook. 8:23:53 PM Leni: Vittorio: It is a name. Come on. 8:24:45 PM Leni: He heads out into the light; he's fairly pale and has slight shadowy dark circles under his eyes, but other than that he's pretty average looking. He's wearing all black, but it's up to you whether that means Rook knows he's an Assassin or not. 8:24:58 PM Rook: Probably not. 8:26:50 PM Leni: He heads outside without bothering with a winter cloak or heavy coat; it's snowing a little bit, great big fluffy flakes. 8:30:13 PM Leni: Did you grab a coat or a cloak? Or did you have a heavy one on before? 8:31:07 PM Rook: Probably not. So he goes right outside and starts whining. "GODS." 8:32:50 PM Leni: Vittorio stops. "... perhaps you had better get a coat." 8:38:53 PM Rook: I don't really have one, just a cloak, but yeah. 8:39:00 PM *** Rook runs back in the inn to get it. *** 8:39:49 PM Leni: He fetches his cloak; his fur stole moves obligingly to let him put it on and then re-stoles, keeping his shoulders warm at least. 8:40:05 PM Leni: Vittorio: Perhaps you can convince her to give you an advance. 8:40:48 PM Rook: Or at least warmer clothes because of the frozen hellscape I find myself trapped on. I've been to frozen hellscapes warmer than this, actually! 8:40:59 PM *** Rook is talking very loud. *** 8:41:26 PM Leni: Vittorio: It's really not that bad. 8:42:23 PM Rook: Except it IS. 8:43:48 PM Leni: Vittorio: Perhaps I'm used to it. 8:45:12 PM Leni: He leads you to one of the wealthier parts of town--but also an older part of town, so the houses aren't quite as massive and ostentatious as could have been built. Still, there are a lot of guards here, and they're definitely giving your group of three the stinkeye. All the stinkeyes, actually. 8:46:12 PM Rook: They don't like you. Or me, maybe. 8:47:26 PM Leni: Vittorio: They don't like any of us; we obviously don't belong. 8:47:46 PM Leni: (Again, feel free to SM at any time.) 8:48:04 PM Rook: ((That would be a 3.)) 8:49:21 PM Leni: You're not even sure he's alive! 8:49:35 PM Rook: Are you sure you're not a vampire? 8:49:49 PM Leni: Vittorio: ... opinions differ. 8:50:48 PM Leni: He leads Rook to a rather small house (for this area), but it's also extremely well kept-up and there are guard wards shimmering around it. 8:51:15 PM Leni: Vittorio unlatches the main gate, heads for the front door and knocks. 8:51:40 PM Rook: What's your opinion then? 8:52:12 PM Leni: Vittorio: I suppose you might say that I am. 8:53:37 PM Leni: A butler opens the door; he's wearing black with red piping along his jacket's cuffs and lapels, lined with silver. "Good evening, sirs." He looks Rook askance. Way askance. 8:54:08 PM Rook: Well, don't worry, I'm not vivist. 8:54:41 PM Leni: Vittorio: I felt sure you wouldn't be. 8:55:37 PM Leni: The butler is apparently too polite to say anything withering. Instead, he says to Vittorio "Do come into the parlor, sir." Then he leads you into a waiting room of sorts. 8:56:10 PM Leni: The house is a little bit odd, and seems to be decorated in nothing but red, black and silver. It's a little grim and a bit Spartan. 8:59:54 PM Leni: Vittorio folds himself into a chair silently. Very silently. He moves like a cat, but even quieter, and with absolutely no knocking things off counters or tables, just for fun. Not even desserts. 9:01:40 PM Rook: ((So not like a cat at all!)) 9:01:45 PM Rook: Is she invisible? 9:02:26 PM Leni: Vittorio: Of course n... that is to say, I have never known her to be. 9:02:39 PM Leni: Vittorio: She is rather busy. 9:02:50 PM Leni: Murky hops down and starts batting at the fringes on the curtains. 9:03:06 PM *** Rook sits down. *** 9:04:47 PM Leni: Vittorio: Had I expected to find you, I would have made an appointment. 9:05:29 PM Rook: Oh. That's fair. How did you hear about me? Was it from that dungeon thing where all my friends died? That wouldn't make me hire me. 9:06:52 PM Leni: Vittorio: I hear a lot of things. Mostly because I sit quietly in dark corners and some people talk rather louder than others, honestly. 9:08:31 PM Leni: A elven woman appears at the door! She has dark hair with a few streaks of white in it, and dark eyes. She's wearing a very expensive grey silk gown, and quite a lot of tasteful, plain silver jewelry with rubies. 9:08:50 PM Leni: Faustina: Vittorio! This is a surprise. 9:10:00 PM Leni: He stands up, and they do kind of an awkward half-hug, half-handshake shug thing. 9:10:14 PM *** Rook is still sitting. *** 9:10:24 PM Leni: Vittorio: My apologies for the lateness of the hour, but I believe I found someone to take care of the House. 9:10:27 PM *** Rook becomes an elf. *** 9:10:42 PM Leni: Rook can tell just be the way he said it that the word "House" definitely has a capital letter. 9:10:54 PM Leni: Faustina: Did you? 9:11:09 PM Leni: Her eyes go to the cat first, and then to Rook, and then back to the cat. 9:11:21 PM Leni: Vittorio: ... two someones to look after the house. 9:12:32 PM Rook: Maybe. 9:12:55 PM Leni: The tressym mews. 9:13:14 PM Leni: Faustina turns to Rook and curtseys politely. "*Can* you, do you think?" 9:13:32 PM Leni: Vittorio: I'm certain he has questions. 9:13:46 PM Rook: I don't know. Depends on what's involved, and also the job. Vittorio here was wonderfully vague. 9:14:24 PM Leni: Faustina: As usual! I need someone to take care of my house. 9:14:31 PM Leni: Vittorio: That part, I told him. 9:14:45 PM Rook: And also that it's a house of crazy magic. 9:15:57 PM Leni: Faustina: Oh. Well, the important part is, the house isn't entirely in this plane. Or in any particular plane. Several wizards had a hand--and in one case, a tentacle--in building it, and it seems to be... well, infinite. There are doors that lead to other planes and doors that lead to other places on this plane. Any door might lead anywhere. 9:16:14 PM Rook: I know how that works. 9:16:34 PM Rook: I have some experience with doors. 9:16:44 PM Rook: And capital d doors. 9:16:47 PM Leni: Faustina: Do you? 9:16:55 PM Leni: She turns to Vittorio. "*Does* he?" 9:17:01 PM Leni: Vittorio nods. "He does." 9:17:19 PM Rook: Ever heard of Sigil? 9:17:52 PM Leni: Faustina turns back to Rook. "That's not the only peculiarity the house has. It doesn't seem to quite... obey the rules of time or space, sometimes. For example, there's a hallway that takes five and a half minutes to walk down." 9:18:23 PM Leni: Faustina: Never. What is it? 9:19:30 PM Rook: The City of Doors? The center of the multiverse? This place is weird. 9:20:06 PM Leni: Faustina: I have done a bit of traveling, but that was some time ago, and I do not think I ever visited a city of doors. 9:20:56 PM Leni: Faustina: ... the peculiarity of the hallway is that it always takes five and a half minutes to traverse, regardless of whether you walk, run or crawl, and no matter who does it. 9:21:12 PM Rook: That sounds exhausting. 9:23:03 PM Leni: Faustina: Very few people stay there for more than a day. 9:23:13 PM Leni: Faustina: They tell me it's haunted. 9:23:37 PM Rook: But you don't live there yourself. 9:23:40 PM Leni: Vittorio: I have my doubts about that. 9:23:47 PM Leni: Faustina: No, of course not. 9:27:09 PM Rook: So then. What does this job pay? 9:27:47 PM Leni: Faustina: A hundred gold a week. 9:27:56 PM Leni: Vittorio: ... are you certain? 9:28:23 PM Leni: Faustina: Yes. Half now, half at the end of the first week. 9:32:46 PM Rook: What am I going to need to do? 9:35:37 PM Leni: Faustina: I would like you to explore the house. But carefully. See if you can work out what's wrong with it. 9:41:41 PM Rook: Hmmm, okay. 9:42:36 PM Leni: Faustina: I'm glad you have a partner, that will make it safer. 9:42:39 PM Leni: Murky: Mew. 9:42:58 PM Rook: I just met this tressym today. 9:43:00 PM Leni: Faustina: Now that we're opening the house again, I'll have to arrange for the staff to come back. 9:43:09 PM Leni: Faustina: Oh? 9:43:25 PM Leni: Murky gives her a look of wide-eyed innocence. 9:45:29 PM Rook: There's staff? So I guess there's a part of the house that's relatively safe? And you need people to explore the parts that aren't. 9:47:27 PM Leni: Faustina: Yes. There are a few parts of the house, mainly toward the front, that do seem to be constant. Two hallways, both on the first floor and the second. 9:50:38 PM Rook: Hmmm. What kind of staff do you have? 9:51:32 PM Leni: Faustina: Well, I think you ought to have at least a cook and a housekeeper. 9:52:03 PM Leni: Murky: Mew! 9:52:12 PM Leni: Faustina: And an official mouser, of course. 9:59:01 PM Rook: Starting when? I just won a week of free rooms for vanquishing basement cats. 9:59:29 PM Leni: Faustina: Whenever you like. If you want to take a week that will give the staff time to make your rooms ready. 10:00:04 PM Leni: Faustina: I'm afraid the servants will have to stay in rooms near you, as the servants quarters are... not easily accessible. 10:06:44 PM Rook: All right. One week, then. I accept. I am Rook, and this, as far as I know, is Murky. 10:07:40 PM Leni: Faustina: I'm Lady Faustina D'Amici. My apologies for not introducing myself earlier; I did assume Vittorio told you who I am. 10:11:00 PM Rook: HE did mention, yes. 10:24:21 PM Leni: Faustina: And he told me who you were as well, of course. 10:24:55 PM Rook: I know, I was here. 10:25:13 PM *** Rook gives a lopsided grin! *** 10:25:14 PM Leni: Vittorio: You were in the basement, actually. 10:26:03 PM Leni: Faustina hands Rook a key with a metal tag attached, which gives an address. 10:27:32 PM *** Rook inspects it. *** 10:28:04 PM Leni: It's a big metal key! And the tag gives an address Rook doesn't recognize, as he's not from here. 10:28:29 PM Leni: Then Faustina hands Rook a bag of money. "Here. Your hundred gold. You'll get the rest after a week." 10:32:15 PM *** Rook 's eyes widen. It is the look of someone who is not very good at keeping his composure being handed the most money he's ever had. *** 10:32:37 PM Leni: Vittorio: I think you ought to give him all of it. 10:33:19 PM Leni: Faustina: Now Vittorio-- Vittorio: He's going to need to buy some equipment. Ropes, grappling hooks, chalk, a mirror, a whistle, twine, all that sort of thing. 10:33:37 PM Leni: Faustina: ... I suppose that's true. You're sure he won't run off? 10:34:02 PM Leni: Vittorio: People don't generally run away from me. 10:34:12 PM Rook: Is it because you're a vampire? 10:34:21 PM Leni: Faustina looks at Vittorio quizzically. 10:34:38 PM Leni: Vittorio: ... no, it's because I'm from the Academy. 10:35:01 PM Rook: You mentioned that before. Was it a magical Academy? 10:35:23 PM Leni: Vittorio: They train assassins. 10:35:37 PM Leni: Faustina: And most of the nobility, don't forget. 10:35:44 PM Rook: Oh. 10:36:41 PM Leni: Vittorio: ... all black, no jewelry, often gloves. I do apologize, I thought you knew. 10:38:31 PM | Edited 10:38:32 PM Rook: I have been on your weird snow-hell plane for all of three weeks. 10:39:17 PM Leni: Vittorio: Yes, but graduates don't stay on this plane indefinitely. Or not all of us, at any rate. 10:40:18 PM *** Rook shrugs. *** 10:40:41 PM Rook: I don't really associate with assassins. Until now! 10:41:13 PM Leni: Vittorio: A first time for everything, I suppose. 10:41:57 PM Leni: Faustina hands Rook a second bag of money. 10:42:56 PM Leni: Faustina: In any case, there you are. Take a week if you like. 10:44:03 PM *** Rook nods. "What do you think I'll need?" *** 10:44:28 PM Leni: Faustina: I've no idea. It could be anything in there. Be prepared. 10:45:01 PM Leni: Faustina: At any rate, I've got to get back to my work. The butler will see you out; if you have any other questions do feel free to write. 10:45:12 PM Leni: Murky: Mewwwr. 10:45:27 PM Leni: Faustina: ... or, I suppose you could ask them in person, come to think of it. 10:46:17 PM Rook: I... dont' really have any right now. 10:46:39 PM Leni: Faustina: Very well. Good evening, Mr. Rook. And good luck. 10:46:44 PM Leni: She sweeps out, regally! 10:47:00 PM Rook: Bye! 10:47:21 PM Leni: Vittorio: Then again, it might be easier to ask me. 10:48:53 PM Rook: What do you think I should buy? 10:49:53 PM Leni: Vittorio: I can make you a list, but essentially everything you'd bring adventuring. But you may already have that.